


New Paths

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 07:31:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19786156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Willow has a late wedding present for her two friends. Willow belongs to willownorthbook.





	New Paths

As wonderful as Louisa's honeymoon had been, the jetlag left... much to be desired. When Louisa had woken up in the middle of the night and found her wife already sitting at the kitchen table with a hot cocoa and an open songbook, she couldn't help but laugh. They'd sat there for a few hours, Louisa reading her book and Lisa writing down songs in her own book, both drinking hot cocoa with extra marshmallows, until Louisa had finally decided that they should go back to bed and at least try to get some sleep. Lisa had been the one to suggest that other things could be done in an attempt to spur on sleepiness.

But after a few days, Louisa's sleep schedule finally managed to get somewhere close to normal again. She still wasn't too happy to be woken up at seven in the morning by an oddly-excited Willow, though. Looking at Willow from the front door, still dressed in her slippers and flannel pyjamas and purple nightgown, her hair a mess, Louisa felt like she was either half asleep or half dead. Judging by the look on Willow's face, it was the latter, and her friend faltered for a moment in her enthusiasm.

"Oh, I hope I didn't wake you," said Willow, her cheeks flushing. Louisa shook her head, yawning.

"You're fine, it's about time I get back onto everyone else's schedule anyway," said Louisa. She yawned again. "I can't believe I ever used to be a morning person."

"You still are, you're just still on morning in Australia or wherever you were at last," said Willow. "You'll bounce back." Louisa couldn't help but smile in return to Willow's smile.

"I remember saying that to you," said Louisa. "So, what brings you out here at seven in the morning? Trying to help me get back to a normal waking schedule?"

"Well, not the waking schedule, exactly," said Willow. "I just missed training with you. Come on, you used to train every day, those horses won't train themselves."

"I know," said Louisa with a laugh. "Especially since I've added a few to my herd since I've been back."

"Exactly," said Willow, nodding. "Now, come on."

"Alright, alright, give me time to have a coffee and some food," said Louisa. "Unless you wanted to stop in New Hillcrest."

"For food? No. For coffee? Tentative yes," said Willow. "I'm guessing you can't hold out until Firgrove?"

"No," said Louisa as her stomach growled. "Dundull is my usual first stop, though." Slowly, her training route was coming back to her, though she felt like it'd come back a lot faster if she had some coffee in her system.

"Well then, let's go," said Willow, tugging on Louisa's hand. "You can have a decent coffee and a breakfast muffin or something in Dundull."

"What's wrong with my coffee?" Louisa asked. Willow shook her head, smiling.

"Let me treat you, woman," said Willow.

"Fine, you've convinced me," said Louisa, a smile tugging at her lips. "But only because Kirsty's hens lay the best eggs." Willow cheered, and Louisa tried not to take too long to get dressed. But, while she was rummaging for decent riding clothes to withstand a day of training, Lisa stirred in the bed, looking at her wife with bleary eyes.

"Louisa? What time is it? Lisa asked, yawning.

"Seven-thirty, I think," said Louisa as she pulled a sweater on over her head. She probably wouldn't need it all day, but she'd definitely need it this morning. Lisa groaned, pulling the covers up over her head.

"Why are you up so early?" Lisa grumbled.

"Willow's here, she wants to go training with me like old times," said Louisa. Mercifully, her favourite training jeans still fit despite the overindulging that she'd been doing while on holiday with her wife. Jeans were too damn expensive to keep buying.

"That's nice of her," said Lisa from beneath the covers.

"You should come too," said Louisa on a whim. "Come on, you and I both know that Starshine is desperate to get out there again."

"He's fine resting, I just asked him," said Lisa. Louisa laughed.

"That was too quick of an answer," said Louisa. She pulled the covers off her wife, who glared up at her. "Come on, please? I promise you won't be crashing a friendly catch-up. You said you wanted to hang out with my friends more."

"Don't use those eyes on me," said Lisa, pulling a pillow over her face. Louisa snatched it away and planted a kiss on her wife's lips.

"Please please please?" Louisa asked, trying to channel Madison. Lisa groaned but finally sat up, yawning.

"Okay, but there'd better be coffee involved," said Lisa.

"There is," said Louisa. "At Dundull." Now, Lisa got out of bed and began looking for clothes to wear.

"Why didn't you tell me before? I love the food at Dundull, especially the chocolate cake," said Lisa, pulling her jeans on after discarding her pyjama pants.

"You're not having chocolate cake for breakfast, I'll call you Daine," said Louisa.

"Long as you don't call me it in bed," said Lisa, bending to pick up the shirt she'd been wearing yesterday. Louisa shook her head, smiling.

"Took you long enough," said Willow, looking up from where she sat on the couch petting Rusty (Gracie would be very jealous later). "Oh good, you're bringing her along too!"

"I hope it's okay," said Louisa.

"You didn't even ask your friend first if I could tag along? Some friend you are," Lisa teased. Louisa remembered a time when she would've burst into tears or started fretting even after a joking accusation like that.

"Nonono it's fine," said Willow, grinning. "This is great, actually, Lisa's involved too for what I've got planned."

"A threesome?" Lisa asked. Willow wheezed.

"Well, my name's not Ariana, so no," said Willow. Louisa stared at her friend, shocked. "What?"

"I thought you hated those jokes," said Louisa.

"The old me did," said Willow. "But I've been a lot more relaxed lately, I can handle it." Louisa knew that Ariana would have made a quip about Willow being more relaxed now that she was 'getting some', but it was too early in the morning for those jokes. That and she was still coming to terms with the 'new' Willow.

"Oh, well that's good," said Louisa. "Anyway, we're ready now, wanna get going? You can pick what horse I train if you want."

"I kind of already did," said Willow. "Sorry, I'm just eager to get going, heh."

"Nothing wrong with being eager," said Louisa. "And saves me a trip to the stables."

"Yes, let's go, let's go," said Willow, almost skipping out the door.

"She is way too peppy for this early in the morning," Lisa grumbled as she followed Louisa outside.

"I'm glad to see her so happy," said Louisa. Willow heard and smiled from where she stood beside a grey Lipizzaner. Her own horse was a new one that Louisa had never seen before. And of course, there stood Starshine, who definitely did look like he longed to get out there.

"This is Autumn," said Willow, gesturing to her horse. "And I picked out Emberrebel for you. Something about her seems familiar..."

"Yeah, like you but not," said Louisa. "That's what I like about her." She petted the mare's neck, feeding her a sugar cube that she'd snagged from the kitchen on her way out.

"Right, to Dundull," said Willow, looking eagerly off in the direction of the ferry dock. The three set out at a walk at first to warm up, gradually picking up speed until they were galloping down the slope and pulling up to a stop right before the opening ferry gate.

"Perfect timing," Lisa remarked as they rode their horses onto the ferry.

"Always has been my specialty," said Willow with no small amount of pride in her voice. She took up a spot beside the middle section of the ferry where the driver sat, while Lisa and Louisa took up a position looking out over the side of the ferry. Louisa dismounted, feeling the ocean breeze whip through her hair as the ferry started across the water. She couldn't help but smile, and Willow returned her smile.

"I've missed this," said Louisa with a happy sigh, leaning on the side of the ferry on her elbows.

"I thought so," said Willow, smiling fondly at the sight. "They changed the ferry routes while you were gone, too. Now, you can get straight from South Hoof to Dundull."

"Well, that's handy," said Louisa.

"And from Jarlaheim to Dundull," said Willow. "Guess who's been frequenting that ferry lately." Louisa laughed, glad that she was able to slide right back into the group so easily.

"So much has changed in just a month," Louisa mused, gazing out across the water at the land that had come to feel like home to her.

"Just wait til you see just exactly how much has changed," said Willow. She sounded a little too excited by that. "I've even grown a few new trees over near Fort Pinta, James actually paid me to do that for him."

"Did he pay you well, though?" Lisa asked.

"Define 'well'," said Willow with a laugh that Lisa and Louisa returned.

"Oh good, so I haven't come back to a parallel universe somehow," said Lisa.

"And there's been a new development," said Willow.

"Oh?" said Louisa. Willow nodded.

"You know Rose, our unicorn friend? She and Anne have really hit it off," said Willow. "It's so cute."

"Can't wait to see it," said Louisa, her heart swelling at the thought that a friend had found love.

"But first, breakfast," said Willow. The ferry pulled into the dock just at that moment, and the trio disembarked to enjoy a delicious, fresh breakfast with the all-important coffee (tea for Willow) at the harbour cafe before heading off to ride the three races at the Mistfall ranger station.

Once they'd finished these races, Lisa and Louisa finishing after Willow due to being out of practice, Willow's excitement seemed to grow as she almost galloped ahead of the group down the road leading to Firgrove.

"Okay, I was going to let you guys do the races first, but this is too exciting," said Willow. "Follow me, we're going mountain-climbing."

"Okay," said Louisa, wondering just what was going on. But Willow seemed happy, so it must be something good.

"The Red String Trail?" Lisa asked.

"Kind of," said Willow. "You'll see, just follow me up the trail and then we break off a little bit."

With Willow leading, the three made their way up the trail, Louisa gazing around wonderingly. It was so beautiful up here, why hadn't Lisa taken her here yet? Though she guessed, with everything going on, it was easy to forget about the more mundane things, as beautiful as they were.

"Okay, now follow me carefully," said Willow. "I didn't exactly manage to get this wide enough yet. The downside of making changes to a place that so many people use."

"You changed the trail?" Lisa asked. Willow held up a hand for silence.

"Hold your questions until we get there," said Willow.

"Okay," said Lisa, though a smile was growing on her face. Louisa had an inkling too, but she was too busy just admiring her surroundings and wondering why they hadn't taken this trail up to the cliff all that time ago.

"Alright, we're here," Willow said at last when the group came out on a little grassy ledge overhanging the Valedale Lake. Here, Willow dismounted and turned to her friends. "So, I think Lisa already guessed this but I made some minor changes to the Red String Trail. Consider it a wedding present from me to you two. You deserve it."

"Wait, seriously?" Louisa asked, though Lisa was grinning with tears in her eyes. When Willow nodded, the two other women embraced her, Louisa crying just a little more than her wife. "Thank you so much, I... you didn't have to do this."

"You deserve it," said Willow. "Remember, you had to teach me that I deserved nice things? You and Jay. Anyway, it finally sank in. Now, you two have a nice place to just come and get away from it all. It's a bit easier to get to than that cliff, too. And there's more space to sit and so much less fog."

"I love it," said Louisa, her throat tight as she pulled away from Willow and looked out over the lake. It glittered in the sun, the waterfall a gleaming ribbon of silver in the distance.

"I'm glad," said Willow, unable to stop grinning at her. "Oh, and the acoustics are great here too, that's why I chose it. Tried it out myself."

"You're singing again," said Louisa, amazed and delighted.

"Like I said, I've relaxed a lot," said Willow. "And also, this wasn't really a training session. Surprise."

"We should train together again soon, though," said Louisa.

"Yeah, soon," said Willow, nodding. "But for now, you two enjoy your wedding present. You've earned it."

"We will," said Lisa. "And thanks so much for this, Willow. Seriously. It means a lot."

"I know," said Willow. "That's why I did it."

After bidding farewell to them, Willow rode off, leaving the two wives to enjoy some alone time.

"Good thing I brought this," said Lisa, taking her guitar from where she'd had it slung over her back. It had somehow stayed on through the races, and now, as she strummed it, the sound reverberated around the mountains. It sent a shiver down her spine. "Ooh, that is nice."

"What are you going to play?" Louisa asked.

"Oh, just a little something I whipped up during our honeymoon and those sleepless nights," said Lisa. Louisa recognised the chords, but she'd never heard it sung before. Now, as the song reverberated around the little valley, Louisa felt tears, not stars, in her eyes. Good tears, of course. They always were with Lisa, these days.


End file.
